While Hogan wrote about a need for country-wide bipartisan climate change policies in his op-ed, the governor has not yet endorsed the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Act, which will be introduced to the Maryland General Assembly next session.

Advocates of the clean energy bill are "very confident it has the chance to become a law," said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund, during a press conference on the legislation.

As the biggest environmental bill proposed in the state legislature so far, the Clean Energy Jobs Act, if passed, would double Maryland's current commitment to renewable energy use. Legislators will begin discussions on the bill after the General Assembly session starts on Jan. 9, 2019.

If the legislation is successful, it could also mean an expansion of offshore wind projects near Ocean City. Offshore wind has been a highly contested issue on the Eastern Shore for the past few years, so this increased commitment to clean energy could cause more strain on local officials.

Ahead of the 2019 General Assembly session, a supermajority of legislators have indicated their support for the bill, imbuing advocates with hope of its success. Having this supermajority of support would ensure the bill's survival in the event Hogan does veto it.

Generally, a supermajority refers to party affiliation within a state legislature. It means at least three-fifths of the Maryland General Assembly would block Hogan's veto to allow the Clean Energy Jobs Act to pass.

As a lead sponsor of the bill, Sen. Brian Feldman (D-15, Montgomery County) said during the press conference that he was pleased to see the governor's op-ed piece.

"I think we are well positioned to move forward and get this legislation to the governor's desk. I’m optimistic we’re going to get this done this year," Feldman said.

What is the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Act?

The Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Act would set a new statewide Renewable Portfolio Standard of 50 percent by 2030. Adopting an RPS requires a state to ensure a certain amount of electricity comes from renewable energy resources.

In 2016, Maryland's General Assembly passed legislation that adopted an RPS of 25 percent by 2020, but Hogan vetoed the bill. A supermajority of legislators who supported the clean energy bill then had to override the governor's veto in 2017.

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An external view of the Maryland Statehouse in Annapolis on Monday, April 3, 2017. (Photo: Staff photo by Ralph Musthaler)

If the commitment to 50 percent renewable energy is passed next year, bill advocates expect legislators to also develop a plan to help Maryland reach 100 percent clean energy by 2040.

The Clean Energy Jobs Act was first introduced to the General Assembly during this year's session, but the bill was ultimately withdrawn.

The Department of Legislative Services estimated the ratepayer impact from the proposed renewable energy increase to be less than a $1.85 per month for an average residential customer.

The legislation is a critical step forward for Maryland in addressing the recent reports from the Trump administration and the United Nations on harmful climate change impacts, advocates say.

If passed, the Clean Energy Jobs Act would bring Maryland up to speed with many other states that have recently made higher renewable energy commitments. States that are preemptive with their clean energy policies will be better positioned for the future, Feldman said.

"Other states are moving really aggressively — some are already at 50 percent — so we want to keep up," Feldman said. "This is a competitive market with other states."

What does this legislation mean for Maryland?

If this bill passes, it would not only have environmental impacts, but it would also help grow the state's economy within the renewable energy industry.

To fulfill the potentially higher renewable energy quota, Maryland would need to bolster its use of both solar and wind power.

Offshore wind turbines placed by Deepwater Wind off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island. Ocean City Council is concerned how they would look locally.(Photo: Deepwater Wind Image)

As of this year, Maryland receives roughly 3 percent of its statewide power from solar, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. With a commitment to 50 percent renewable energy in the proposed legislation, Maryland would see a significant shift toward more solar power.

The increased solar power focus would create more than 20,000 jobs for Maryland over the next decade, said Brooke Harper, Maryland director of the CCAN Action Fund and political action chair of the Maryland State Conference of the NAACP.

The Clean Energy Jobs Act would also triple Maryland's reliance on offshore wind energy, adding about 5,500 jobs. Currently, the state has two projects in development off the coast of Ocean City. The wind farms being developed by U.S. Wind and Ørsted — formerly known as Deepwater Wind — have a combined capacity of about 370 megawatts.

The proposed legislation includes a commitment to 1.2 gigawatts of offshore wind power. To reach this potential goal, Maryland would need to either expand upon the already approved projects or give the green light for additional offshore wind farms.

Already a hot issue on the Eastern Shore, the potential for an increased focus on offshore wind energy could lead to further debates.

For the past year, Ocean City town leaders have said they are for renewable energy that is green and unseen. The town has set its own renewable energy goal at 51 percent by 2019.